# Novel Film-Forming Spray: Advancing Shelf Life Extension and Post-Harvest Loss Reduction in Eggs

## TL;DR

A new spray made with herbs helps preserve eggs longer by forming a protective film that reduces spoilage and keeps them fresh.

## Contribution

A novel film-forming spray with phytobiotic herbs is developed to enhance egg preservation and reduce post-harvest losses.

## Key findings

- The spray forms a water-resistant film that improves egg quality and extends shelf life.
- Eggs treated with the spray stored at 2–8 °C lasted over 42 days with superior quality indicators.
- The spray significantly reduced microbial load, including E. coli, on treated eggs.

## Abstract

This study explores the development of a topical film-forming spray infused with phytobiotic herbs to extend egg shelf life and maintain its quality. Unlike traditional surface treatments, film-forming sprays provide uniform drug distribution, better bioavailability, effective CO2 retention by sealing pores, and antibacterial effects. The spray includes a polymer to encapsulate phytoconstituents and form the film. The resulting film is highly water-resistant, glossy, transparent, and dries within two minutes. SEM analysis showed a fine, uniform morphology, while zeta analysis revealed a negative potential of −0.342 mV and conductivity of 0.390 mS/cm, indicating stable dispersion. The spray’s effectiveness was tested on 640 chicken eggs stored at varying temperatures. Eggs treated and kept at 2–8 °C showed the best results, with smaller air cells, higher specific gravity, and superior quality indicators such as pH, albumen weight, albumen height and index, Haugh unit, yolk weight, and yolk index. Additionally, the spray significantly reduced microbial load, including total plate count and E. coli. Eggs stored at 28 °C remained safe for 24–30 days, while those at 2–8 °C lasted over 42 days. This innovative film-forming spray offers a promising approach for preserving internal and external egg quality during storage.